The name Paunceforte was brought to England in the wave of migration that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Paunceforte family lived in Gloucestershire, where the family was found since the early Middle Ages.

Early Origins of the Paunceforte family

The surname Paunceforte was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Hasfield. At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in the year 1086 A.D., a survey of England initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066, the chief tenant of Hasfield was Westminster Abbey and holding the land from the Abbey was Thurstan FitzRolf. It is from this latter Norman noble that the Paunceforts are conjecturally descended. Pancevold was a tenant-in-chief at the survey, and Pancefolt was an under-tenant. They held this manor until 1598. The name is derived from the French Pancevolt.

Early History of the Paunceforte family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Paunceforte research.Another 249 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1383 and 1437 are included under the topic Early Paunceforte History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paunceforte Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Pauncefoot, Pauncefort, Pauncefoote, Pauncefote and others.

Early Notables of the Paunceforte family (pre 1700)

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Paunceforte Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Paunceforte family to the New World and Oceana

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Paunceforte or a variant listed above: John Pauncefoot who landed in North America in 1750.

The Paunceforte Motto

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.